Apparatus for firing pressed fuel



Sept. 17, 1946. J. ROTH APPARATUS FOR FIRING PRESSED FUEL Filed April 6, 1944 INVENTOR Josmfl F0 TH ATTORNE Patented Sept. 17, 1946 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR FIRING PRESSED FUEL Joseph Roth, Bronx, N. Y. Application April 6, 1944, Serial No. 529,862

, 3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus which may be used as a heater, or for other purposes. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus of this kind wherein fuel in the form of particles, small pieces or grains may be tightly pressed or packed in the fire box of a heater in such manner as to form within the packed mass, at least one fire column with means for radiating heat arising from the heater, and for discharging products of combustion, particularly in constructing what might be termed portable heaters, stoves or similar apparatus. The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and in which the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views; and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front View of a heater made according to my invention, with part of the construction broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing a cover or lid removed, and indicating the method of packing fuel in the heater.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the structure as seen in Fig. l, with parts of the construction broken away and in section; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view, illustrating the method of interlocking the wall parts of the top radiating portion of the heater.

For purposes, of illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, I have shown a simple method of constructing the same to-adapt. it for use primarily as what might be termed a portable space heater. That is to say, a heater whichmay be located in any room or compartment, for the purpose of heating the same. A number of such units may be employed to heat a large room, each heater having an independent flue discharge, preferably opening to atmosphere.

Heaters of the type and kind under consideration may be used practically in heating camps and similar lodgings, where other types of heating installations would be expensive and difiicult to install. Further, heaters of this kind may be used to heat garages, small homes, chicken coops and similar types of buildings. The principles of the heating apparatus herein disclosed may also be utilised in the construction of stoves for use in preparing meals, in which cases, the top structure of the apparatus will be made to adapt the same for such uses.

In the simplified showing, the heating apparatus is made of sheet metal parts. The main part comprises a cylindrical body It, in the lower end portion of which is an inner bottom wall II, which forms with the cylinder III the fire box I2 of the apparatus. The wall II has a central opening I3 which opens into'a draft chamber I4 at the bottom of the cylinder I0, the latter being closed by an outer bottom wall I5. Access to the chamber I 4 is provided through a front opening I6, controlled by a hinged door II, held in place by a suitable catch I8. On the door is a more or less conventional sliding draft control plate I9, such as commonly employed on the doors of heaters or furnaces, opening into either the fire box or the lower draft chamber of the apparatus.

It is also preferred that the apparatus be supported on a plurality of legs 20, so as to maintain the wall I5 above a floor surface, particularly when this surface may be composed of wood. so as to prevent injury to the surface, and further to cool the burnt particles which may drop into the chamber I4.

Secured to the top of the cylinder It! is a ring like plate 2I, which extends beyond the walls of the cylinder IIi. Secured to the outer end of the ring 2| is an upstanding annular sleeve 22, to which is secured a top ring 23. The rings 2| and 23 together with the sleeve 22, form at the top of the fire box I2 a large heat radiating chamber 24, which may have a number of circumferential discharge openings. One of these openings is indicated at 25, in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and the opening is normally closed by a spring pressed cover 25 (see Fig. 1). However, as indicated at 21, a heat radiating pipe may be coupled with the sleeve 22 upon removal of the cover 26, and this pipe may include a conventional damper 28.

The aperture of the ring 2! is substantially common in diameter to the diameter of the fire box l2, whereas the ring 23 has a somewhat smaller flanged center aperture 29 which is normally closed by a cover 30. This cover has depending from its inner surface a shield or bafile portion 3| which extends through the chamber 24 and into the fire box, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The baffle portion 3| is partially shown in cross section in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The purpose of this bafiie is to direct the major portion of the products of combustion rising in the fire box away from direct transmission through a flue pipe 32, which extends upwardly from the ring 23 at the rear portion of the heater, and to allow for a better distribution of the prodnets of combustion through the heat radiating chamber 24.

The particular type of baffle employed may be varied in different uses of the apparatus, for example, the present construction deals primarily with what might be called an apparatus having a single fire chamber. However, in other instances, two or more of these chambers may be erected, as will be apparent.

The details of construction in coupling the wall parts 2|, 22 and 23 together are not shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing because of the size of the parts. However, in Fig. 4, the coupling between two of these wall is illustrated in detail. In this figure, part of the walls 22 and 23 are shown. The wall 23 has one downwardly extending flange 33, whereas the wall 22 includes a downwardly extending flange 34 arranged inwardly of the flange 33, an upwardly extending flange 35 arranged outwardly of the flange 33, and a top horizontal flange 36 arrangedupon the top periphery of the wall 23. This forms a strong, durable and well reinforced coupling between the wall parts. However, in some instances, the wall parts may simply be welded together.

In th use of the apparatus, the cover 39 together with its baffle 31 is removed from the top of the heater, and an elongated tapered forming rod 3'1 is passed down through the fire box l2 and into the aperture lit, in which it has a snug fit. With the forming rod '31 in this position, I now pack small particles or grained fuel 38 around the rod 3'! in the fire box l2 to a height preferably below and in spaced relation to the chamber 24. After firmly packing the fuel 38 in position, I then withdraw the forming rod 31 through the opening 29, which will leave in the packed fuel 38 a vertical fire passage or chamber 39, then the cover 39 together with its baffle 3! is placed in position with the bafiie arranged toward the back of the heater in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. The door fl is now opened, and a few pieces of paper or a few bits of quickly burning material of any type or kind are placed in the chamber it directly beneath the elongated fire passage 39. These are then ignited, and the flame will travel upwardly through the fire passage 39 and ignite the compressed fuel 38 exposed to the bore of said passage, and the products of combustion will rise and flow into the radiating chamber 24 and finally out through the flue 32. As the packed or pressed fuel 38 burns, the fire passage 39 becomes larger, and whatever ash may be created will drop down through the opening I3 into the pit or chamber [4, from which it may be removed from time to time. The heater will continue to operate until all, or substantially all of the fuel has been consumed in the fire box l2.

, I have found from practical experience that such material as sawdust may be very practically used in heaters of the class under consideration, and that a heater of relatively small fire box diameter, namely less than two feet, packed substantially in the manner illustrated, will burn for many hours, and will radiate suflicient heat to comfortably heat a fairly large room or compartment. By providing the passages, as at 25, heat radiating pipes or ducts may be directed to adjacent rooms or compartments to heat the same.

In some instances, fuel such as sawdust may be processed to establish adhesion between the particles, and also to increase the burning properties of the fuel, for example, by spraying or wet- 4 ting the sawdust with a fuel oil or similar agent which will have either or both of the properties named. I have found, however, that ordinary sawdust will work independent of any binder or stimulating agent.

In some cases, two or more of the fire pas- V sages may be formed in the compact or pressed mass of fuel, by simply packing the same around a plurality of forming rods, providing means for supporting the rods in the manner taught in the present showing and constructing the heater apparatus accordingly.

It will also be understood that any type or kind of fuel may be employed. For example, this apparatus would lend itself to the burning of very fine or more or less pulverized fuels or any type or kind of waste materials. For example, the apparatus may be used as a means for burn,

ing leaves which are pressed into a cylindrical unit substantially in the manner described. In this way, dried leaves may be put to a definite use, rather than being destroyed by outdoor burning, as is the conventional practice.

' In apparatus of the kind illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that as the fire chamber expands in diameter, the hot coals which may drop from the walls of the fire chamber will drop onto the wall II, and aid in stimulating the flame as it .rises upwardly through the fire box 82. These collected coals will aid in spreading the flame, and will tend to keep the flame at all times on the inner diameter of the pressed or packed fuel mass. The damper IS on the door I! may be adjusted from time to time to regulate the draft through the heater, and this may be further controlled and regulated by providing a damper control in the flue 32, as is commonly known in this art.

The cylinder or casing It) has on opposed walls, handles ll), by means of which the unit may be conveniently carried. From this standpoint, it will be understood that in emergency cases, the flue 32 may be directed out through the window of a room or compartment, suitable means being provided to close the remainder of an openwindow and suitable insulation being provided in such instances.

My improved apparatus lends itself to utilizing such waste material as sawdust, and to put it to a practical use in the heating of camps and other dwellings. This is particularly desirable at Army camps, where a fuel of this type and kind is plentiful, and where economical heating apparatus is not now available and new apparatus is available to handle fuel of certain types and kinds.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A heater apparatus of the class described, comprising a cylindrical fire box casing, partition means forming a draft chamber at the lower end of the fire box, a heat radiating chamber at the upper end of the fire box, said chamber comprising top and side walls and a bottom wall arranged outwardly of said casing, a flue discharge from said chamber, said discharge extending upwardly from one side of the top wall of said casing, said partition means having an opening placing the draft chamber in communication with the lower end of said fire box, the fire box being adapted to receive a packed mass of fuel with a vertical passage in said mass in registering alinement with said first named passage't'o form a fire chamber extending vertically through said packed mass opening into the upper end of the fire box and into said radiating chamber, means controlling admission of air to said draft chamber, the top wall of said radiating chamber having a large opening arranged above the fire box, a cover controlling said opening for admission of fuel to the fire box of the apparatus, and a bafile integral with and supported by said cover and extending through said radiating chamber into the upper portion of said casing and to a point below the bottom wall of said radiating chamber.

2. A heating apparatus of the class described, comprising an elongated cylinder, a bottom wall on said cylinder, a supplemental bottom wall forming in the lower portion of the cylinder a draft chamber, means controlling air admission to said chamber, the supplemental bottom wall forming in conjunction with the cylinder above said wall a fire box in which fuel is adapted to be received, the supplemental wall having a passage opening into said fire box and into the draft chamber, the fire box being adapted to receive packed fuel with a vertical passage formed in the fuel and registering with said first named passage, an enlarged heat radiating chamber at the top of said cylinder, said chamber comprising an annular bottom wall extending from the top of the cylinder outwardly, a vertical side wall at the periphery of said bottom Wall, a top wall of an outside diameter corresponding to the diameter of said bottom Wall, the top wall having a large central opening through which fuel is adapted to be inserted into the fire box, a flue discharge extending upwardly from the top Wall of said radiating chamber at one side thereof, a cover for closing the center opening of the top wall of said radiating chamber, and said cover having a semi-conical baffle adapted to extend through said radiating chamber and into said cylinder to a point below the bottom wall of said radiating chamber.

3. A heating apparatus of the class described, comprising an elongated cylinder, a bottom wall on said cylinder, a supplemental bottom wall forming in the lower portion of the cylinder a draft chamber, means controlling air admission to said chamber, the supplemental bottom wall forming in conjunction with the cylinder above said wall a fire box in which fuel is adapted to be received, the supplemental wall having a passage opening into said fire box and into the draft chamber the fire box being adapted to receive packed fuel with a vertical passage formed in the fuel and registering with said first named passage, an enlarged heat radiating chamber at the top of said cylinder, said chamber comprising an annular bottom wall extending from the top of the cylinder outwardly, a vertical side Wall at the periphery of said bottom wall, a top wall of an outside diameter corresponding to the diameter of said bottom wall, the top wall having a large central opening through which fuel is adapted to be inserted into the fire box, a flue discharge extending upwardly from the top wall of said radiating chamber at one side thereof, a cover for closing the center opening of the top wall of said radiating chamber, said cover having a semiconical baffle adapted to extend through said radiating chamber and into said cylinder to a point below the bottom wall of said radiating chamber, and the side wall of said chamber at a point spaced with respect to the flue discharge of said chamber having a passage through which heat may be conveyed beyond the limits of said chamber.

JOSEPH ROTH. 

